Let me start by saying that I did NOT start this thread to push the Pentecostal agenda. I have not been filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and I have never spoken a single word in tongues my entire life. Personally, I believe as most of you, that tongues have ceased as Paul said they would.
Before we get started let me also say that when the Pentecostals gave a name to their new doctrine, "The Baptism of the Holy Spirit" they created a very confusing mess. For example, John the Baptist said, "I baptize you with water but One comes after me who will Baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire."
Hundreds of years before the Pentecostals gave this name to their doctrine, the great theologians interpreted John's statement as "the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. They pointed to Colossians 2:10-12 as the spiritual baptism of the Holy Spirit when the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the new believer.
"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."
As you can see, this is not a water baptism, but a spiritual operation of God performed by the Holy Spirit. So you can easily see the confusion the Pentecostals created with this name.
However, with all of this being said, I do believe the "the filling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues is Biblical, and that it did take place in the first century Church." So let's get to the Scripture and I will make my case.
Acts 8:5-8 KJV
"Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was great joy in that city."
So we see here that Philip went to Samaria and preached the Gospel to them, and they believed what he said and also the miracles that were being performed.
Acts 8:12 KJV
"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."
Now we see that they believed on Christ and Philip water baptized them, or probably had some fellow workers with him and they water baptized them.
Acts 8:14-17
"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
Now we see that the Church in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to lay hands on them so they could receive the Holy Spirit.
Let me ask a question here. Did Peter and John come to lay hands on these Samaritans for them to receive the indwelling Holy Spirit, or did they receive the indwelling Holy Spirit when they believed in Christ and were baptized as Philip preached to them days before?
The most popular argument is that the Lord delayed their receiving of the Holy Spirit when they believed until Peter and John came, and they give several possible reasons why this could have been.
Let me ask another question. Is our salvation which includes the receiving of the indwelling Holy Spirit dependent on the laying on of hands in the Protestant Church, is that Biblical? Someone has said that this is an exception by God, if it is, it's the only one found in Scripture of it's kind, and we can take nothing from it. Even the Old Testament saints were saved in justification by faith, as was Abraham.
No, this is not an exception by God, we are all saved the same way without exception. Let's take a look at when the Holy Spirit is given in His plan of salvation.
Ephesians 1:13
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"
Acts 2:38
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
There is no delay in receiving the Holy Spirit when we repent and believe. I think most will agree that the receiving of the Holy Spirit is instant/immediate upon repenting and faith in Christ. Both Paul and Peter seem to have seen it this way.
If Peter and John did not come to lay hands on them to receive the indwelling Holy Spirit that we receive the moment we trust in Christ, then they came to impart to them the gift of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Even though Luke does not record that these Samaritans did speak in tongues, we know by example in Acts that the laying on of hands by the apostles is one way of receiving the filling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.
Before we get started let me also say that when the Pentecostals gave a name to their new doctrine, "The Baptism of the Holy Spirit" they created a very confusing mess. For example, John the Baptist said, "I baptize you with water but One comes after me who will Baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire."
Hundreds of years before the Pentecostals gave this name to their doctrine, the great theologians interpreted John's statement as "the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. They pointed to Colossians 2:10-12 as the spiritual baptism of the Holy Spirit when the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the new believer.
"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."
As you can see, this is not a water baptism, but a spiritual operation of God performed by the Holy Spirit. So you can easily see the confusion the Pentecostals created with this name.
However, with all of this being said, I do believe the "the filling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues is Biblical, and that it did take place in the first century Church." So let's get to the Scripture and I will make my case.
Acts 8:5-8 KJV
"Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was great joy in that city."
So we see here that Philip went to Samaria and preached the Gospel to them, and they believed what he said and also the miracles that were being performed.
Acts 8:12 KJV
"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."
Now we see that they believed on Christ and Philip water baptized them, or probably had some fellow workers with him and they water baptized them.
Acts 8:14-17
"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
Now we see that the Church in Jerusalem sent Peter and John to lay hands on them so they could receive the Holy Spirit.
Let me ask a question here. Did Peter and John come to lay hands on these Samaritans for them to receive the indwelling Holy Spirit, or did they receive the indwelling Holy Spirit when they believed in Christ and were baptized as Philip preached to them days before?
The most popular argument is that the Lord delayed their receiving of the Holy Spirit when they believed until Peter and John came, and they give several possible reasons why this could have been.
Let me ask another question. Is our salvation which includes the receiving of the indwelling Holy Spirit dependent on the laying on of hands in the Protestant Church, is that Biblical? Someone has said that this is an exception by God, if it is, it's the only one found in Scripture of it's kind, and we can take nothing from it. Even the Old Testament saints were saved in justification by faith, as was Abraham.
No, this is not an exception by God, we are all saved the same way without exception. Let's take a look at when the Holy Spirit is given in His plan of salvation.
Ephesians 1:13
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"
Acts 2:38
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
There is no delay in receiving the Holy Spirit when we repent and believe. I think most will agree that the receiving of the Holy Spirit is instant/immediate upon repenting and faith in Christ. Both Paul and Peter seem to have seen it this way.
If Peter and John did not come to lay hands on them to receive the indwelling Holy Spirit that we receive the moment we trust in Christ, then they came to impart to them the gift of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Even though Luke does not record that these Samaritans did speak in tongues, we know by example in Acts that the laying on of hands by the apostles is one way of receiving the filling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.
